Electric lamp



(N 0 Model.)

v 3Sheetsj--Sheet 1. L. G. WOOLLEY. Electric Lamp. No. 241,112. Pat en ted May3, 1881.

i I E J1 J I Mia-5555 vn. PETERS, Photo-[jihographen Washingion, n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. G. WOOLLEY. 4 Electric Lamp. No. 241,112. Patented May 3,1881.

ERS. Fholoi'rihogrzpbor. Washington. D. C.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

L. G WOOLLEY.

Elect-ricLamp. I

Patented May 3,1881.

I/ //////A 7///////// A N4 PETERS, Phoioiilhognpuar. Wanhington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEONIDAS Gr. VOOLLEY, OF MENDON, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 241,112, dated May 3, 1881.

Application filed November 24, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONIDAS G. W OOLLEY, of Mendon, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in electric lamps; and it consists, first, in a polygonal lamp-frame which is suspended in position by a series of opposing springs applied to its corners, which springs neutralize the jarrin g and shaking movements in such a manner as to adapt the lamp for use as a head-light on a locomotive; second,in the combination of the carbon-holder, a sliding collar placed thereon, a clamping-lever pivoted upon the collar and provided with an armature, a device for regulating the distance the outer end of the lever shall rise, and an electro-magnet for raising the lever, collar, and carbon-holder upward; third, in the combination of a horizontal helix and a perforated endwise-moving bar or rod, which extends into the center of the helix so as to act as an armature, and through which the carbon-holder passes, whereby, when the endwise-moving bar becomes electrified by the action of the magnet, the bar is drawn into the magnet with sufficient force to prevent the carbon-holder by frictional contact from drop ping downward too rapidly; fourth, in the arrangement and combination of parts which will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The object of my invention is adjusting the movement or feeding of the carbons by a very simple and inexpensive mechanism, and to dis pense with all the wheels, clock-works, and other such expensive devices as have heretofore been used.

Figure l is a side elevation of my invention complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the upper part of the fram e-work taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a detail View. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of my invention. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the clamping device and carbon-holder. v

Arepresents the frame in which the lamp (No model.)

is supported, and which may be either of the form here shown or any other that may be preferred. Attached to each corner of this frame A is a spring, B, of any desired shape, size, or construction, and which prevent any shaking or vibrating of the frame which would have a tendency to interfere with the perfect acting of the light. If so preferred, the two lower springs may be coiled ones and the upper ones flat-bar springs, or all of the springs may be of the same construction as is here shown.

The great objection heretofore existing to the use of the electric lamp as a head-light upon locomotives has been that thejarring and shaking of the locomotive when in motion are so great that the different parts of the lamp have been shaken and jarred to such an extent that the lamp soon becomes'inoperative. This shaking has heretofore caused the carbons to break and the upper carbon-holder to work so unsteadily that the lamp was practically use less as alocomotive head-light.

These objections I completely overcome by supporting the lamp-frame by means of a suitable number of springs in an outer frame, 0, which may be attached to the front of the locomotive or any other object in any suitable manner, and which springs serve to neutralize the jarring and shaking motion to such an extent that the slight and almost imperceptible vibratory movement of the frame A causes no inconvenience. The frame A. as here shown, is supported in an outer frame by means of four springs; but it is evident that this frame or any other suitable form of frame may be supported upon a suitable number of springs, and which will have to a Very great extent the same effect, though not as perfect a one as when the springs are applied to the corners, as here shown.

Upon the top of the frame A is placed the iron frame D, of any suitable shape, and which is cast in one continuous piece, so as to form. a magnetic conductor between the two magnets. Passing down through the center of this frame is the carbon'holder E, over which, inside of the frame, is placed a preferably non-magnetic collar, F, which slides freely upon the carbonholder and serves principally as a pivot upon which the clam pin g-lever G is supported. Upon one side of this collar is formed a flan go, a, and

the angular end of the lever is cutout so as to fit over this flange and vibrate freely upon its pivot, which passes through the flange. Upon the top of this clam ping-lever, which may be of the shape here shown or any other that may be preferred, is secured an armature, G, so that whenever the current of electricity is passed through the magnet H this armature is attracted to the pole ofthe magnet and the clampin g device thus lifted horizontally upward. The end of the clamping device which is in contact with the carbon-holder is so shaped that when the device is raised upward the frictional contact of this device against the side of the carbon-holder will cause the carbon-holder to be raised upward a sufficient distance to separate the upper carbon from the lower one far enough to produce the arc. The outer and lon ger end of this clamping lever or device is made to catch in the stop I, which is secured to the inner side of the frame D, and which stop is placed in such relation to the pole of the magnet that as the clamping device is being raised horizontally upward, carrying the carbon-holder with it, the outer end of the clamping device strikes this stop before the armature comes in contact with the pole of the magnet, and as the clamping device continues to move upward it is tilted or turned slightly upon its pivot c in such a manner as to release its hold upon the carbon-holder, and thus let the carbon-holder drop downward, while the clamping device remains suspended against the pole of the magnet. This stop I may be of any suitable form, and willbe preferablyprovided with a setscrew, so as to bear against theouter end of this clamping device, and thus cause it to release the carbon-holder at any point during the upward travel of the clamping device, and in this manner regulate the distance which the carbonholder shall be raised upward.

When the clamping device releases its hold upon the carbon-holder the holder would drop its full length down through the frame were it not that some other means are provided so as to regulate the speed at which the holder shall move downward by its own gravity. Secured in the frame D at right angles to the magnet H is placed a helix, J, which, instead of being provided with a stationary pole like the magnet H, is made hollow, and its armature is formed by the endwise-moving bar or rod L, which has a hole made through its center for the carbon-holder to pass through. Upon the top of this armature is placed a small frictionroller,which bears against the edge of the flange upon the vertically-moving collar, and which roller prevents any endwise movement of the armature L until the vertically-moving collar has been raised to that point by the frictionclamp where the friction-clamp'releases its hold upon the carbon-holder, when the armature, being free to move, is drawn endwise into the helixso as to exert justasuffieientfrietional contact again st the side of the carbon-holder to prevent it from moving too rapidly by its own gravity. The hole or opening through this armature for the carbon-holder to pass through is made slightly elongated, so that when the armature is not drawn into the helix it exerts no power upon the carbon-holder. Attached to this armature at any suitable point is a small spring of suitable shape, size, or construction, and which moves the armature outward as soon as it is left free to move.

One of the wires is connected with the magnet H, and the other one with the lower carbon-holder, as shown in Fig. 1. The two magnets, II J, are connected by means of their wires or in any other suitable manner with the frame D, and the current passes from the one H through the frame, as shown by the arrows.

After the friction-clamping device has raised the carbon-holder upward the clamping device remains suspended until the current is broken, when it immediately drops downward and is ready for another hold upon the carbon-holder, and this clamping device serves no other purpose than to merely separate the carbons in starting or lighting the lamp.

As the ends of the carbon burn away and the points become separated the electric current becomes weakened, and in proportion as this current becomes weakened so the pole of the helix to attract the armature L becomes weakened and exerts a less drawing pressure upon the armature, and thus releases the carbon-holder sufficiently to let it descend from its own weight, and as soon as the two points of the two carbons approach each other sufficiently near to fully re-establish the current the power of the helix is increased at the same instant, and it exerts a drawing-pull upon the armature L sufficiently strong to prevent the carbon from descending any farther. In this manner the current is made to regulate the feeding of the carbons and a bright and steadylight is obtained.

In order to prevent the carbon-holder from descending too rapidly,adash-pot or other wellknown device may be used for controlling its descent.

The construction and operation of the lamp is such as is now in ordinary use, and need not be more fully described here.

Having thus described my invention, I elaim 1. In an electric lamp, the combination of" a polygonal frame and aseries of supportingsprings which are applied to opposing corners of the frame, substantially as shown.

2. In an electric lamp,the combination of the carbon-holder E, a sliding collar, F, placed thereon, the lever G, pivoted upon this collar and provided with an armature, G, a device for regulating the distance the outer end of the lever shall rise, and the electro-magnet H, the inner end of the lever forming a clamp for liftin g the carbon-holder upward, substantially as described.

3. The combination of acarbon-holder, a slidin g collar placed thereon, a friction-clamp pivoted upon the collar and provided with an armature, an electro-magnet, and a stop, whereby, as

IIS

the friction device is raised upward carrying the carbon-holder with it the outer end of the friction-clamp is arrested by means of a stop, so as to release the carbon-holder while the friction clamp remains suspended, substantially as shown.

4. In an electric lamp, the combination of an electrically-operated friction-clamp for raising the carbon-holder, and a second electricallyoperated friction-clamp to prevent the carbonholder from descending too rapidly from its own gravity, substantially as specified.

5. In an electriclamp,the combination of the 

